Imran Khan orders to expel legislators absent on voting day for 26th constitutional amendment. PHOTO: PIXABAY
ISLAMABAD:
PTI founding president Imran Khan on Wednesday dissolved the party’s political committee, with plans to replace it with a smaller body.
Sheikh Waqas Akram, the party’s information secretary, confirmed that the existing political committee has been dissolved and will be replaced by a smaller committee. The previous committee had around 40 members.
Waqas maintained that the new committee would most likely include the party’s provincial leaders, opposition leaders and a few additional members.
Imran also ordered that Shahid Khattak be appointed parliamentary leader in the National Assembly.
Party sources indicate that the plan may not be realized. Although Zartaj Gul had been appointed parliamentary leader in the past, this time it could be argued that independent legislators are not eligible for the post. Besides, Imran instructed KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to revamp the Insaf Lawyers Forum (ILF).
Earlier, it was reported that some PTI parliamentary members attended a national security workshop at the National Defense University (NDU) Islamabad on November 29, sparking displeasure from Imran Khan over their participation. The event brought together parliamentarians, senior civil and military officials, academics and representatives of civil society.
Parliamentarians clarified their position on Wednesday.
Sources said a key meeting was held between the party leadership and concerned legislators, during which the issue of participation in the workshop was discussed in detail.
The parliamentarians told the leaders that their participation in the workshop was fully in line with the party’s instructions, advice and approvals.
Members noted that several PTI leaders and members had attended the same workshop last year, expressing surprise that this year’s attendance had become controversial.
It was also revealed in the meeting that PTI general secretary Salman Akram Raja was not present in the consultative session. Lawmakers have expressed serious concerns about this and highlighted the lack of a clear policy.
Sources confirmed that a few members offered their resignations, but the party leadership, including the PTI founder president’s sisters, persuaded them to wait, assuring that their position would be fully communicated to the founding president in the next meeting.
Mashal Yousafzai clarified that she did not attend any briefing or meet anyone, adding that it was Imran Khan who made her adhere to parliamentary discipline.
Another party member, Adil Bazai, described the NDU workshop as a purely academic program, noting that 90 percent of PTI parliamentarians had attended it in the past.
